The Vicky A’s on Christmas, aka Christmas with the Ghostbusters

On Christmas, there are few things I prefer than sitting down with either my favorite Christmas book (Dickens’ unparalleled A Christmas Carol) or watching my favorite Christmas movie (The Nightmare Before Christmas or some televised version of the aforementioned Dickens tale). Sometimes, in a flurry of genius, they merge. I give you on this Christmas 2012, the Real Ghostbusters in their animated tale “Xmas Marks the Spot”.

Again, this is a wonderful bit of Victorianachronism, bringing two of my favorite things in the entire world together: Dickens and the Ghostbusters (I’ll also accept Scrooged in this category for the presence of Bill Murray). On Christmas Eve, the Ghostbusters find themselves in 19th century Britain thanks to an appropriately placed time portal and end up doing a ghostbusting job for none other than Ebeneezer Scrooge (you only get three guesses as to who they trap). Upon returning to their time, everything has changed and they have to find a way to make things right. This might sound like typical Christmas time-travelling hijinx, but what brings this into a more immediate and personal realm is Peter Venkman’s reaction to it: he loves the fact that Christmas is gone because thanks to his deadbeat con-artist father, Christmas was always full of sadness, hardship, and disappointment. He’s thankful to be rid of it and embraces the humbug. Could anything change his mind? What really is the Christmas spirit? Without further ado…

Part one of “XMas Marks the Spot”

Part Two of “XMas Marks the Spot”

Either Dickens is rolling in his grave right now or applauding the RGB for getting it right. Methinks it would be the latter. A Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from both of us at the Vicky A’s to you and yours!